The Tyntila murder. November Tyntila Farm. The disappearance of Jane Lewis

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2 The Tyntila murder November 1862 Nearly a hundred years ago there occurred on the mountainside below a lonely Rhondda mountain farm a tragedy which for months afterwards focused the attention of the outside world on the small mining village of Gellidawel and which even today is spoken of in many Rhondda homes as the Mystery of Tyntila. The mystery remains unsolved to this day Tyntila Farm Tyntila Farm is perched high on the steep slope of Penrhys mountain overlooking the Rhondda Fawr. The valley below used to be thickly wooded from the banks of the river to a line well up the mountainside, but in 1862, with industrial development in full motion, houses already sat where trees had been. A remnant of the woods still screened the farm from the growing village of Gellidawel though. There were two paths from the farm to the village. One was the direct route straight down the mountainside and through the woods - a distance of 656 yards. The other route was more than twice as long, and was used by wagons. It followed the much gentler slope along the mountainside to the lane leading from the valley to Penrhys. Both ways led to the valley road near the Star Inn. The disappearance of Jane Lewis In the mid-afternoon of Sunday, 2nd November 1862, Thomas Williams, the Tyntila farmer, set off with his brother from Penrhys Uchaf to visit Bodringallt Farm. The brothers were visiting the farm, situated further up the valley, before going to Nebo Chapel for the evening service. Maria, Thomas s wife, stayed behind to look after their six children. Three servants also lived at the farm with the Williams family: 22-year-old Jane Lewis, the niece of Mrs Williams; 26-year-old Thomas Edmunds, and a 15-year-old lad named David Morgan. Thomas Edmunds and Jane Lewis left later that afternoon for the same chapel. Jane had promised to meet her Tyntila Farm, 1862 sweetheart (also named Thomas Williams but known locally as Tom Screens ) at the evening service. She left the farm unaccompanied shortly before six but just before it was dark according to Mrs Williams, and said that Edmunds had left not more than half an hour earlier. David Morgan did not go to chapel, but played with a friend in one of the farm fields until it was dark. Thomas Williams returned home, via the longer route, between 8 and 9 o'clock, and told his wife that he had not seen Jane at the chapel. A little later, Jane's sweetheart Tom called at the farm to enquire about Jane. He said that he was worried about her not having been at the chapel, as it might have meant that she was taking up with another sweetheart. He had also travelled to the farm on the long route via Penrhys Lane and went back the same way. Initially, the farmer and his wife were not unduly worried about their niece, because a tea party was being held in the village and they thought she had probably gone there. However, they did become anxious later. Having gone to bed at 10pm, Mrs Williams persuaded her husband to get up just after 11pm and search for Jane with a lantern. The farmer and Edmunds went off together. First they looked through the outhouses, then went along the short route to Gellidawel. Just beyond the stile at the end of the first field, 176 yards from the house and 50 yards above the point where the path entered the 2

3 the usual place on top of the cupboard at the farm, and it was almost certain that the razor had been in its proper place that Sunday morning. This reduced the possible suspects to those who could have obtained possession of the instrument that day, making it a very short list indeed. The Star Inn around the time of the murder woods, they found the body of Jane, lying partially across the footpath about 22 yards from the stile. They ran at once to the village to summon help. Someone went for a doctor and returned with Mr Evans, assistant to Mr Naunton Davies, surgeon of Cymmer. It was Mr Evans who sent for the constable - PC Richard Wise, stationed at Gellidawel. PC Wise s investigation At the Inquest, PC Wise said: She was lying on her right side across the footpath about 22 yards from the stile at the top of the wood. I found a razor with blood on it 2 feet, 7 inches from the body. A brooch untouched by her blood was 4 feet, 1 inch from the body. A bonnet, ribbon and collar were 5 feet, 6 inches from the body. There was blood on the bonnet and the ribbon. I noticed that the collar was cut in two and quite saturated with blood. The string of the bonnet was cut through. I also found a razor case open 2 feet from the body and 7 feet, 6 inches from the body on the upper side. No blood was on it. I had a candle and my lamp and examined the place near where the body lay but failed to perceive any kind of a struggle. I found an imprint on the side of the path close to where the bonnet, ribbon and collar lay and noticed an indication of a person having been kneeling on one knee. I saw blood and dirt on the right knee of the deceased. The deceased's hair was not at all disarranged. At this stage, there is reason to believe that the surgeon entertained the possibility of suicide. He denied this later on, but whether this was so or not, PC Wise must have felt that the case was not going to prove a difficult one. Wise had already succeeded in getting the razor identified as belonging to Edmunds. It was missing from The Post Mortem The Post Mortem was conducted by the local surgeon Mr Naunton Davies, and introduced a possible motive for both suicide and murder. Jane had been pregnant for about 10 weeks. In those days of Welsh Puritanism, no greater shame could be brought by any girl on herself, her family or her chapel, than by such undeniable proof of deadly sin. In the absence of any other conclusive evidence, this factor would have been a strong pointer towards suicide. However, the possibility of suicide was ruled out by the surgeon. He was decidedly of the opinion that the wounds could not have been self-inflicted, but had been inflicted with a sharp instrument, such as a razor, and from behind. PC Wise had not waited for the Post Mortem. Within a short time of leaving the crime scene, he examined every article of clothing belonging to Edmunds and did not find a single trace of blood. Mrs Williams confirmed that Edmunds had produced all his clothing except a shirt front. She had a vague idea that Edmunds should have produced another jacket as well, but she later admitted that she was not at all sure about that. There was evidence to prove that Edmunds had given the missing shirt front to Morgan weeks before. PC Wise took statements from all at the farm about their movements that day. With suicide ruled out and a possible motive for murder established, the enquiry continued. As far as the weapon was concerned, anyone at the farm could have taken it, but no one had the opportunity except Tom Screens. There was no evidence that he had been near the place on Sunday before the crime though. PC Wise immediately ruled out the farmer, his wife and the boy Morgan from the lost of suspects, as none of them had a motive or an opportunity. This left the farmhand, Edmunds and Tom Screens. The Suspects People were suspicious of Tom Screens because he failed to give a logical explanation as to why he took the longer route to and from the farm when he was looking for Jane, especially because he said he had been in a hurry to find her. It would have been natural to continue the search along the shorter route as he had already covered the other. 3

4 As the girl's sweetheart, he would also be suspect number one as far as her condition was concerned. The police put him at the top of their suspect list, but as there were many witnesses who proved Tom Screens had not left the village until after chapel that day, he was eliminated from enquiries. Instead, Edmunds was arrested and charged with her murder, as he admitted owning the weapon and intimacy with the girl on one occasion a month before the crime. It was accepted that the crime had been committed shortly after the girl had left the farm, at approximately 5.45pm. Unfortunately Mrs Williams was vague about the time, putting it as shortly before six but definitely sure that it was not dark. It is probable that Mrs Williams erred on this score. The service at Nebo, a mile away, started at 6pm that day. It would certainly have been dark by 5.45pm, so it must have been nearer to 5.30pm when Jane left the farm. This would fit in better with Edmund's departure half an hour before Jane, as he was almost certainly in the village at 5.15pm. As for the other potential suspects: Thomas Williams: The farmer left Tyntila at about 3pm, and from that time until he returned after 8pm, he was with his brother more than half a mile from the scene. Mrs Williams: No question appears to have arisen of her complicity and it seems likely that the children could prove that she had not left the house. No one else was there after Jane left. Tom Screens: Tom may have had a motive and his decision to take the longer route was considered suspicious, but witnesses proved his presence in the village at the time of the murder. After tea, at about 5pm, Tom Screens went for a walk along Pontypridd Road with a friend, then they both went to chapel and remained together until 8.00pm. Screens then left his friend to go up to Penrhys Lane to the farm. Thomas Edmunds The case against Edmunds was woefully weak, and it is believed he was arrested not so much on the evidence against him, but on the lack of evidence against anyone else. If the doctors said that it was murder, there must be a murderer, and if no one else could have done it, it must have been Edmunds. The police must have felt more and more inclined to doubt the surgeon's opinion as they probed each piece of evidence which might have convicted their prisoner, only to find that each one failed when put to the test. Ownership of the razor meant little. It was hardly conceivable that the murderer would leave behind a weapon so easily traceable to himself unless he were panic stricken, and there was no evidence of panic in his actions at the time. Edmunds possessed a pistol and ammunition; a far more suitable and less risky weapon for him to use if he intended to commit murder. Then there was the absence of bloodstains, which the surgeon said the murderer could not have avoided. The absence of a shirtfront from his wardrobe had also been satisfactorily accounted for. Evidence from Keziah Williams stated that Edmunds had a scratch on his face on that Sunday afternoon when he called at her house, and had borrowed a handkerchief to wipe away the dried blood. He said the scratch had been caused by one of the calves on Sunday afternoon. Morgan, his young friend, testified that this was true. As for motive, there was evidence that far from seeking to deny his relationship with Jane, Edmunds enquired into the possibility of obtaining a special licence on that very Sunday to marry her the following week. Edmunds s alibi was almost as sound as any of the others. He was with someone in the village just as the afternoon train left Ystrad Station, which would be about 5.15pm. According to PC Wise, he was there at least a quarter of an hour before Jane left the farm, if Mrs Williams was right. According to Keziah Williams, Edmunds called at her cottage at 5.10pm and stayed there for 20 minutes before going on to chapel. Before visiting, he had been at The Star when the train passed up the valley. The Star Inn was 345 yards away from Keziah s cottage. Edmunds was certainly at chapel in good time and stayed throughout the service. The only period unaccounted for the 5 to 15 minutes between Edmunds leaving The Star (at 5.15pm) and arriving at Keziah's house between 5.20pm and 5.30pm. It was hardly conceivable that Edmunds could have gone 500 yards up a steep hill, commited a murder, and covered a further 800 yards to Keziah's cottage in that short space of time. The Inquest The police must have respectfully begged leave to question the opinion of the surgeon Davies that this case was indeed a murder, as Dr Edwards from Cardiff was called to assist on 5th November. Dr Edwards supported the opinion of his colleague, based on his knowledge and following research in books. However, he confessed under cross-examination that he had been unable to find any case quite analogous to this one. 4

5 Dr Edwards sought to strengthen his opinion by saying he had obtained support by writing to the celebrated Dr Taylor of London. At the conclusion of the inquest, which lasted five days, the jury astounded both the press and public by returning a verdict of Suicide committed under temporary insanity. Scathing attacks were made on the jury by several local papers in response to this verdict. One of them said: The medical evidence was most clear and distinct. The only inference from it was that foul play must have been used, that the injuries were not caused by the girl but by another. Mr Davies and Mr Edwards unhesitatingly declared it was utterly impossible for any person to have inflicted on himself or herself three such mortal cuts as were observed here. This was fortified by the opinion of the well-known and celebrated Dr Taylor, of the faculty in London. Notwithstanding all this, however, 12 of the 14 gentlemen constituting the jury agreed to differ from the learned doctors, though all the medical and surgical evidence, from the days of Aesculapius down to their own, might be produced to confirm the sworn statements of the Cardiff and Pontypridd doctors. Yet all was of no avail. They could not see and would not be convinced...we have often thought but never had more reason to believe than now that Welsh Juries must be differently constituted from Juries of other parts of the British Empire. We have heard a jury in Merioneth return a verdict of sheep stealing in a case of manslaughter, and another Montgomery jury, in a case of arson, find the accused guilty of homocide to the second degree. Now we have this senseless and unjustifiable finding of the 12 jurymen in the Rhondda Valley murder case. For 12 weeks after the inquest conclusion was announced, letters appeared in the press on this highly controversial case. Perhaps the most interesting of them all, are the following from members of the jury. They reflect the point of view of the majority of the jury, but also provide a good illustration of the fundamental difference between a coroner's jury and the common jury at a trial, with the former expected to apply legal knowledge to their consideration of the case, as well as evidence. From A Juror - 6th December, 1862 Being one of the jury on the inquest on the case at Ystrad I think it my duty to offer a few remarks in defence against the many and bitter accusations brought against our verdict by the Star of Gwent. I have not the least doubt that Jane Lewis committed the awful and horrible deed upon herself. It was proved by the most positive evidence that the servant man Thomas Edmunds was down on the road in the village when the up-train went by at 5.09pm. This fact can be attested to by half the people in the place while the evidence produced before the jury was that the deceased only left a little before six. That little was thought by the witnesses to be about a quarter of an hour, so that the prisoner was in the village half an hour before the deceased left the house, and the man having been seen from that time until his return to the house exonerated the prisoner from any implication whatsoever. Having shown evidence perfectly exonerating Thomas Edmunds, the prisoner, we can also say the same thing as to Thomas Williams of Tyntila, the deceased's uncle, and of Thomas Williams, the deceased's sweetheart. The evidence clearly shows that they were not near the house from the time she left the house until she was found, so that all who have been suspected proved to be as innocent as you in Cardiff. Now all those who could be thought of having the least motive, and those that had any chance of getting hold of the implement by which the wounds are thought to have been inflicted having been exonerated, the most natural conclusion is that the deceased, having easy access to the fatal instrument and being in the condition she was, not as the papers say no evidence as to despondency, it was proved in evidence she was crying and complaining of feeling unwell and threatened to destroy herself, and if all this and the fact of her never having been of a very cheerful spirit does not prove despondency, what does? Is it not the most natural conclusion that the girl had determined to put an end to her own life, and had carried the thought into act in the most determined manner? Some readers may say you are going too fast my dear man. What about the doctor's evidence? Well that is what I was going to give you, Mr H N Davies of Cymmer was called to examine the body on the morning after she was found dead. He did so and took notes I dare say of what he saw after examination had been made as minutely as possible or at least he should have done so, or how could he know that all was the same when he went down there next as he found it the same time. 5

6 Well, after this examination what did the doctor say? He told at least a dozen people to my knowledge that the deceased's death had been caused by her own hand - that is a fact that is substantiated. I believe Dr Davies to be a man of delicate feelings and further that the odium of the deceased's miserable end should not darken with sorrow the hearts of her relations, may have had an effect on so tender a heart as the doctor's, but however that may be it is certain that the doctor has changed his story (I don't say his mind), and said it was improbable that the deceased could have inflicted such wounds upon herself, which I presume to call the greater presumption, and I think it impossible for him or any other man to say what is possible for a person in such a condition. I have heard more than one doctor say that to cut all the soft parts of the throat down to the spine will not affect power of the arm while blood is running from the heart. (Signed) A. Juror From A Juror - 13th December, 1862 Concerning the death of Jane Lewis and adverting to the Ystrad Jury, it is curious to note the reaction of the feeling and opinion after some thought and discussion on the part of the public in favour of the truth of the verdict of the wise men of Ystrad, who it appears were nearly at the time the only wise men in the country on this subject. As a juror, I am extremely grateful that the subject had been kept for so long before the public and sifted as it has been done. In the first place the two medical men, Edwards and Davies, were decidedly and of the same opinion that the three more imperfect cuts on the throat of the deceased were each of them mortal, and that after inflicting either the others could not have been inflicted by the hand of the deceased, but now the loud-mouthed science of one of these gentlemen being as it appears rather a fickle game had brought him right about face and say that only one of those three cuts was mortal, only the important cut. So much for the constancy of medical men. The Aftermath A few days after the inquest, Edmunds was committed to the Assizes. The Grand Jury, on the advice of the Judge, threw out the bill of indictment for lack of evidence to be put to the petty jury. The Star Inn as it appears today This ended the story as far as the police were concerned, but a Pontypridd journalist, Morien, appears to have had the last word four years later. In an article on what he calls The Dinas Murder, he wrote: The murdered girl was buried on the western side of Ainon Baptist Chapel, Tonyrefail. A few months later, the writer found Tom Williams in lodgings at Tonyrefail, within 100 yards of her grave. He was looked upon as one half broken hearted. He was strange in manner in the works, and appeared on the verge of insanity. He emigrated to some part of Australia. Now comes a strange story Mr Richard Packer, whilst living at Cylch yr Hedydd, Treforest, in 1902, made the following statement: A year or two after the Tyntila murder, my father and I were residing at a place 20 miles from Ballarat, Australia. One Sunday afternoon, we were both out in our shirt sleeves, standing outside our door. We observed, coming along the road, a man behaving strangely. He was picking up stones, and then throwing them at the doors of the houses as he walked along. He stopped opposite to us and said, You are Welshmen. I replied, "Yes, we are. How come you to think so?" He answered, "I guessed it by the check of your flannel shirts." Then he asked, "From where in Wales?" I replied, "From Llantrisant, Glamorgan." He then said, "I come from the Rhondda Valley. Did you hear of the murder of Jane Lewis of Tyntyla?" I replied in the affirmative. He then said, "It was I that killed her." We never saw him after nor before, and I have no idea who he was. Tom has never since been heard of. 6

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